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In a world where shelves are full of protein bars for slimming down, people looking to gain healthy weight often have a hard time finding high-calorie bars.
And if skinny people, hard gainers, and any other individuals who struggle to gain weight are unable to find healthy high-calorie bars, they are more likely to:
So, whether you are looking for a way to bulk up easier, a nutritious alternative for missed meals, or just an energizing snack that won’t consume your time and will help you feel great during workouts and hikes, you should add healthy high-calorie bars to your diet.
But how do you know which bars are healthy?
Generally, the healthiest high-calorie bars are the ones that are made with whole food ingredients and no artificial compounds. To find them we conducted comprehensive research on the largest online marketplace in the world.
Research methodology
We analyzed the composition of the top 50 most popular high-calorie bars made from whole food ingredients on Amazon. As a consequence, we discovered which bars have the most calories, and thus, which will make your weight-gaining process way easier.
Note: the calories of each bar were calculated per 100 grams of product to ensure an unbiased comparison between bars of different weights.
But first, let’s take a quick look at the advantages of consuming high-calorie bars.
Besides the fact that high-calorie bars help you gain weight, they are both a great way to replace missed meals and a solid source of energy.
Now, let’s explore more in-depth the 4 benefits that prove why you need high-calorie bars.
Since you must be on a daily caloric surplus to gain weight, you need to know that eating high-calorie bars can make you meet your calorie goals easier.
For example, let’s say your daily calorie goal is 3000 calories, and you ate 2850 calories on a given day. An easy way to hit your 3000 calories target is to snack on a 250-calorie bar.
You see?
A single high-calorie bar can make the difference between you losing or gaining weight.
As further proof, high-calorie bars count among the most effective weight gain foods for females. High-calorie protein bars are present in 20% of women's effective weight gain meal plans.
FAQ: How can you put on weight fast?
To increase your weight fast, you need to ensure you eat more calories than your body consumes daily. A great way to stay in a caloric surplus is to have a diet full of healthy high-calorie foods.
Here are six other very useful lists full of high-calorie foods and drinks to add to your diet plan:
Convenience is the third reason why you should add high-calorie bars to your diet. Whenever you don’t have time for a meal, you can replace it with a bar that you can snack on even while you are working on a task.
However, don’t make meal replacement a habit as you may lose important nutrients that only the main dishes of the day can offer you.
High-calorie bars generally provide solid amounts of protein, carbs, and fats, which together will give you a significant boost of energy.
Calorie-dense bars are a great choice for athletes, bodybuilders, and anyone passionate about hiking or backpacking because bars are low-volume high-calorie foods that give you energy and healthy nutrients without filling you up.
Besides loading you with energy, high-calorie nutrition bars can also help you build muscle easier.
High-calorie nutrition bars, especially the ones lower in fat and higher in proteins and carbs, can be useful foods in preparing pre-workout meals for muscle gain.
There are two types of high-calorie bars that make you gain healthy weight:
You can find pre-made bars in stores, but make sure to look for the ones made from whole foods because many brands add artificial ingredients into their bars.
A 2018 study has warned that many pre-workout supplement producers use "proprietary blends" that do not "disclose specific amounts of ingredients."
Takeaway: if you don’t want to bake high-calorie bars at home, make a habit of always checking the nutrition facts label on every bar you buy.
When they think about protein bars, many people imagine these are only for weight loss. Yet, all the high-calorie bars in our research have substantial amounts of protein, so they can all be called protein bars.
As scientific research shows that consuming protein increases your muscle strength, high-calorie bars will not only help you gain weight but also build muscle easier.
Here are the top 10 protein bars with the highest number of calories:
To find the best high-calorie bars for weight gain on the market, we calculated the average number of calories contained by the 50 most popular bars made with whole food ingredients on Amazon. The best bars were considered to be the ones that were better than the average.
Here are the 25 best high-calorie bars for weight gain:
If you have been asking yourself what bar has the most calories, look no further.
The YES Bar with Dark Chocolate Chip flavor is the high-calorie bar with the most calories from our research, but it’s also the most expensive.
Moreover, as it contains plant-based protein and plenty of carbs and fat, this YES Bar is a great energy source both for carnivores and vegans.
One Dark Chocolate Chip YES Bar has 40 g.
Other bar characteristics: gluten-free, paleo, keto-friendly.
The Perfect Keto Bar with Almond Butter flavor is the second most nutritious high-calorie bar among the most appreciated whole food bars on the analyzed global marketplace, and the second most expensive as well.
This Perfect Keto Bar has a high number of proteins while featuring solid amounts of fat and carbs, which makes the bar a great aid in building muscle.
One Almond Butter Keto Bar has 45 g.
Other bar characteristics: keto-friendly.
As a plant-based energy bar, the Super Green OHi Bar is a calorie-dense whole food snack that is rich in all three macronutrient groups.
In addition, this bar contains spirulina, which is one of the high-calorie vegetables you can add to your diet.
One Super Green OHi Bar has 51 g.
Other bar characteristics: grain-free, gluten-free, soy-free, paleo, non-GMO.
If you are looking for a high-calorie bar with less fat, you should try the Cacao Banana Rise Bar, which is rich in whey protein and carbs while featuring fewer grams of fat than other bars in this list.
This tasty bar is also one of the least expensive, being 25% cheaper than the average high-calorie bar included in our research.
One Cacao Banana Rise Bar has 60 g.
Other bar characteristics: gluten-free, soy-free, non-GMO.
The Blueberry Vanilla Kale LivBar is a high-calorie bar made from superfoods that will help you meet your daily calorie goals and leverage your vitamin intake. This type of bar is a solid source of proteins, carbs, and fat, that you can buy for a price that is above average.
You can also find this bar rebranded under the name Blueberry Vanilla, but no worries, it is still made with kale.
One Blueberry Vanilla Kale LivBar weighs 44 g.
Other bar characteristics: gluten-free, dairy-free, no soy, no corn, non-GMO.
This Go Raw Bar made with pumpkin seeds is a calorie-dense bar that you can buy at an average price.
In terms of macronutrients, you won’t be disappointed as this high-calorie vegan bar has plenty of proteins, carbs, and fat.
One Pumpkin Seed Go Raw Bar has 51 g.
Other bar characteristics: gluten-free, vegan, organic, paleo.
The Almond Blueberry bar from Super Pop is a plant-based protein snack that is high in calories and very energizing. The bar is especially high in carbs but offers solid amounts of protein and fat as well.
One Almond Blueberry Super Pop Bar weighs 54 g.
Other bar characteristics: organic, meal replacement bar, gluten-free, dairy-free, no soy.
If you struggle to bulk up, you should give a try to the Almond Honey Rise Bar as it is a high-calorie bar that hides a treasure of proteins, since it’s made using whey protein.
Besides, this bar is very affordable as well, being about 23% cheaper than the average bar in our research.
One Almond Honey Rise Bar weighs 60 g.
Other bar characteristics: gluten-free, no soy, non-GMO.
A similar high-calorie alternative for the Almond Honey Rise Bar is the Lemon Cashew bar from the same brand. The main difference between the two is the fact that the Lemon Cashew bar is made using pea protein instead of whey.
One Lemon Cashew Rise Bar weighs 60 g.
Other bar characteristics: gluten-free, no soy, non-GMO.
The Almond Butter KIND bar is an affordable high-calorie snack that will load you with plenty of energy and will help you gain healthy weight. The bar has solid amounts of protein, carbs, and fat.
One Almond Butter KIND Bar weighs 50 g.
Other bar characteristics: gluten-free.
Although it does not contain as many proteins as other high-calorie bars, the Maple Fig breakfast bar from Enjoy Life is still a nutritious snack because it is rich in carbs and fat.
The bar’s main ingredients are fruits and oats but a lot of its flavor is owed to maple syrup, which counts among the list of weight gain syrups.
Another advantage of adding this bar to your diet is the fact that it is cheap, being 50% more affordable than the average high-calorie bar included in this research.
One Maple Fig Enjoy Life Bar weighs 50 g.
Other bar characteristics: palm oil free, gluten-free, non-GMO.
The Almond Butter Bearded Brothers Bar is a high-calorie vegan bar that will load you with plenty of carbs and fat while offering a decent amount of protein for an average price.
One Almond Butter Bearded Brothers Bar weighs 43 g.
Other bar characteristics: gluten-free, soy-free, non-GMO.
If you are following a keto diet, you are in for a treat with the Almond Butter bar from Keto Krisp. This high-calorie bar is rich in protein, carbs, and fats, so you can use it both as a simple bulking snack and a meal replacement.
The downside of this bar is that it’s quite costly.
One Almond Butter Keto Krisp Bar weighs 51 g.
The Trail Mix Meal Replacement bar from ProBar is a great fit for hikers and backpacking lovers but not only. This high-calorie bar’s affordability and its macronutrient-rich contents make it perfect for people looking to gain healthy weight easier.
One Trail Mix Meal Replacement ProBar weighs 86 g.
Other bar characteristics: plant-based, gluten-free, non-GMO.
KIND’s Peanut Butter and Dark Chocolate granola bar is a chewy high-calorie snack that shines due to its full of carbs content and very affordable price. Moreover, this grain bar has a few grams of protein and fat as well.
One Peanut Butter Dark Chocolate KIND Bar weighs 35 g.
Other bar characteristics: gluten-free, non-GMO.
The Peanut Butter and Chocolate Chip ALOHA Bar is a high-calorie snack that is rich in protein, carbs, and fat. Since it is plant-based, the bar is a viable choice for vegans as well.
Price-wise this ALOHA Bar is a little below the average.
One Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip ALOHA Bar weighs 56 g.
Other bar characteristics: gluten-free, paleo, non-GMO, soy-free, stevia-free.
The Cherry Almond Honey Stinger Bar is a pretty costly high-calorie snack that is loaded with protein, carbs, and fat. As its name suggests, this Honey Stinger bar is made with organic honey.
One Cherry Almond Honey Stinger Bar weighs 42 g.
Even though it is not as rich in protein as other bars, the Dark Chocolate Cherry Cashew KIND bar remains a solid source of carbs and fat, which will offer you plenty of energy and calories.
A downside of this KIND bar is that it’s on the more expensive side of the spectrum.
One Dark Chocolate Cherry Cashew KIND Bar weighs 40 g.
Other bar characteristics: gluten-free, non-GMO.
The Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip bar from GoMacro is a high-calorie bar that is rich in carbs, has decent amounts of protein and fat, and is only a bit more costly than the average bar in our research.
Overall, this vegan protein bar will help you get energized before your workouts and gain healthy weight by leveraging your daily calorie intake.
One Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip GoMacro Bar weighs 69 g.
Other bar characteristics: gluten-free.
If you love the dark chocolate flavor and are looking to add healthy weight, you should try Caveman’s Double Dark Chocolate Bar. This bar contains solid quantities of protein, carbs, and fat that make the bar perfect for meal replacement or building muscle.
Moreover, this Caveman protein bar has a below-than-average price, which adds even more value to including it in your diet.
One Double Dark Chocolate Caveman Bar weighs 43 g.
Other bar characteristics: gluten-free, soy-free, dairy-free, no grain, non-GMO.
If you are looking for high-calorie granola bars, you should consider the Pumpkin bar made by Steve’s Paleo Goods.
Although it is pretty expensive, being 137% more costly than the average bar included in our research, this granola bar is a healthy source of macronutrients and a handy ally when backpacking.
One Pumpkin Steve’s Paleo Goods Granola Bar weighs 43 g.
Other bar characteristics: grain-free, paleo, backpacking food, keto.
The Cashew Cookie Dough Shanti Bar is one of the high-calorie bars with the most proteins in our research. Also, this plant-based protein bar made by Shanti Balance is also pretty affordable as it can be found at a price that’s slightly less than the average.
One Cashew Cookie Dough Shanti Bar weighs 58 g.
Other bar characteristics: vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free, egg-free.
Being one of the most popular high-calorie meal replacement bars on the market, the Superfruit Slam ProBar contains a treasure of carbs and decent amounts of protein and fat. What’s even better is that you can enjoy these benefits for a cheap price that’s 22% below the average bar included in our research.
One Superfruit Slam Meal Replacement ProBar weighs 85 g.
Other bar characteristics: gluten-free, soy-free, non-GMO.
Another high-calorie granola bar on the market is Annie’s Chocolate Chip bar. It is pretty expensive, but it makes for a solid source of energy due to the high number of carbs in its composition.
One Chocolate Chip Annie’s Granola Bar weighs 25 g.
Other bar characteristics: no high-fructose corn syrup.
The last of the best high-calorie bars on the market is RXBAR’s Chocolate Sea Salt Protein Bar, a bar that is rich in proteins, carbs, and fat. Its nutritional facts and cheap price make the bar a great way to make your bulking efforts easier.
One Chocolate Sea Salt RXBAR Protein Bar weighs 52 g.
Other bar characteristics: gluten-free.
If the extra work in the kitchen needed to make homemade bars doesn’t mind you, then you should try some recipes for healthy high-calorie bars. You will have the added benefit of knowing exactly what you are putting in the bars.
To guide you into baking your first high-calorie bars, we researched three recipes that comply with the official Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2020-2025.
Here are 3 recipes for high-calorie bars that you can follow at home:
Since these peanut butter cereal bars are high in calories and make for a solid source of macronutrients, they are a great snack to eat on the go or as a small meal replacement.
Ingredients:
Find directions on how to mix the ingredients here: peanut butter cereals bars recipe.
And if you don't like peanut butter, try using other high-calorie nut butters.
If you want to prepare your own granola bars at home, you will be pleasantly surprised by how easy it is to follow this recipe.
Ingredients:
Find directions on how to mix the ingredients here: granola bars recipe.
Fig bars are a tasty high-calorie snack that will help you meet your daily calorie goals and energize yourself due to their rich in carbs content.
Ingredients:
Find directions on how to mix the ingredients here: fabulous fig bars recipe.
For a boost of calories, switch dried figs for some high-calorie fruits, like dried goji berries or others.
If you really need to step up your calorie intake, you can give it a try to bodybuilder Lucas Ball's recipe below. The resulting high-calorie bar vegan bar has 1556 calories, 75 grams of protein, and weighs a total of 250 grams.
No bar makes you gain weight. Instead, there are high-calorie bars, like the Dark Chocolate YES Bar and the homemade granola bar, that make it easier for you to be on a caloric surplus, which is essential if you want to increase your body mass.
Considering that the average high-calorie bar in the top 50 most popular whole food bars has 211 calories, it is normal for a single protein bar to have around 200 calories.
No, protein bars do not make you fat. Instead, what makes you fat is eating too many calories and not having an active lifestyle.
Protein bars alone will not make you gain weight, but they can make it easier for you to do so. Instead, what fundamentally makes you increase your body mass is eating more calories than your body consumes on a daily basis.
The best high-calorie protein bar for gaining weight is the Dark Chocolate Chip bar made by YES Bar because it offers the most calories per 100 grams – 550 calories.
Yes, consuming KIND bars will help you gain weight by boosting your daily calorie intake. Moreover, three types of KIND bars qualified among the best 25 high-calorie bars for gaining healthy weight.
Yes, both homemade and store-bought granola bars are useful if you want to gain weight because they are generally high in calories.
Overall, high-calorie bars are an energizing treat for anyone trying to gain weight easier, from busy people looking for time-saving snacks and bodybuilders on their bulking phase to skinny individuals and hikers who need meal replacements to survive on their backpacking adventures.
Whether you prefer to bake high-calorie bars at home or buy some from the store, you can now safely do either using DGA-approved recipes and, respectively, our ranking of the best 25 healthy high-calorie bars on the market.
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High-Calorie Foods and Drinks
The listing is based on 100g and not the amount of 1 serving of the bar. To get to 500 calories, you would have to eat more than two of some of them.
Yes, Herbert. Since each bar has a different size, it's hard to compare them, so we calculated each bar's nutrition facts for 100-gram servings. To avoid any confusion, we specify that the nutrition facts, including the calories, are calculated per 100 g. In addition, we noted down each bar's weight, so visitors are able to calculate how many bars they need to buy to get x number of calories.